Flood ranged form

Ranged form
General overview
Distinctions:	Can shoot infinite "regenerated" projectiles; Able to curl into a defensive ball; Is able to stick to walls; Can mutate to/from Stalker Form (common) and Tank Form (less common);
Height:	244 centmeters (8 ft 0 in)
Method of attack:	Fires spiked projectiles from long range

The Flood ranged form is a permutation of Flood pure form. Ranged Forms serve to provide suppressing fire, assaulting potential hosts from a distance with a hail of deadly spikes and allowing other Flood forms to attack at close range.^[1]

Description[edit]

The Ranged Form is formed when a Flood stalker form chooses to mount itself in a stationary position either on the walls, ceiling, or ground. The Stalker's body reconfigures itself into a tripodal configuration, and the abdomen morphs into a living missile platform of regenerating spikes. These spikes, constructed from scavenged bone and biomatter, can be shot out of the abdomen with extreme force and accuracy, relentlessly pelting targets from afar. They are also distinctive because of their eyespots on both sides.

When harassed, Ranged Forms will curl up to shield their heads, their weak point. In this state, they are far more resistant to damage, but are unable to fire. When a Pure Form is killed on a wall or ceiling, they will fall off.

Ranged form is the only Flood form that cannot move. Once the Stalker mutates into it, it will get stuck on that spot until it dies or mutates again.

Ranged Forms will also occasionally mutate to/from Tank Forms.

Tips and Tactics[edit]

Ranged Forms are an extremely powerful Flood form on the battlefield and thus are very difficult to dispatch, without first exposing yourself to fire. They will attack the player with incredibly accurate and rapid-firing spikes from afar. They will primarily root themselves onto walls or ceilings, though they may also root onto the floor at times. If approached, a Ranged Form will quickly morph into a stalker or tank form, which will also remove any grenades that stick it, so it is not recommended to approach one too close to stick it.

When fired for a short burst, a Ranged Form will instinctively take cover, curling up in order to protect itself. It will not fire in this state, but the protection grants it immense resistance to ballistic attacks, meaning players should swap to plasma or explosives when this occurs. The best weapons to kill Ranged forms from afar are the Paegaas Workshop Spiker and Okarda'phaa-pattern plasma rifle. These weapons deal high damage to a curled ranged form and causes it to flinch violently, dealing more damage than usual. High-powered explosives such as those from the Jovokada Workshop brute shot also work well, as it completely bypasses their protection. The supercombine of a Type-33 needler is also effective in killing ranged forms, since when curled they are unable to move at all.

To pinpoint a ranged form's position, take a few hits from it, or if possible, use a deployable cover. The ranged form's spikes will be unable to pierce the shield.

When killed, ranged forms will usually drop spike grenades.

Ranged forms are unaffected by the Tough Luck Skull, as they are unable to move.

Trivia[edit]

When it fires its spines, the area around it glows as though it was firing a bullet weapon.
Although it's not very common, it is possible to get the Stalker forms to mutate into Ranged forms as allies on the Covenant level when you team up with the Flood, they are gained as allies sometimes when the jump pack Brutes have not been killed till later.
A visual example, when a Tank Form takes a hit from a Gravity Hammer, the spike platform can be seen for a few seconds when the Tank Form jumps up. This most likely an oversight due to the lack of smoothness in the animation.
They make a similar screech when shooting their spikes to the noise the Stalker forms make when climbing.